Protests Anti-nuclear power movement in Japan

1 protests

1.1 2011
1.2 2012
1.3 2013

protests

public opposition nuclear power existed in japan before fukushima disaster. not strong , visible has been post-fukushima, when demonstrators turn streets in thousands protest use of nuclear power. worldwide, traumatic events in japan in 2011 revitalised anti-nuclear movement.

consumers union of japan 596 organisations , groups participated in parade on 27 january 2008 in central tokyo against rokkasho reprocessing plant. on 810,000 signatures collected , handed in government on 28 january 2008. representatives of protesters, include fishery associations, consumer cooperatives , surfer groups, handed petition cabinet office , ministry of economy, trade , industry.

2011

anti nuclear rally in tokyo on sunday 27 march 2011.



buddhist monks of nipponzan-myōhōji protest against nuclear power near diet of japan in tokyo on april 5, 2011.



peaceful anti-nuclear protest in tokyo, japan, escorted policemen, 16 april 2011.



anti-nuclear power plant rally on 19 september 2011 @ meiji shrine outer garden

several large protests occurred on april 10, 2011, month following 3.11: 15,000 people marched in sound demonstration organized shirōto no ran (revolt of laymen), used-goods shop in kōenji, tokyo, while thousands marched in shiba park, tokyo , other locations. 1 protester, yohei nakamura, said nuclear power serious problem , anti-nuclear demonstrations undercovered in japanese press because of influence of tepco.

three months after fukushima nuclear disaster, thousands of anti-nuclear protesters marched in japan. company workers, students, , parents children rallied across japan, venting anger @ government s handling of crisis, carrying flags bearing words no nukes! , no more fukushima .

in august 2011, 2,500 people including farmers , fishermen marched in tokyo. have incurred heavy losses following fukushima nuclear disaster, , called prompt compensation plant operator tepco , government.

in september 2011, anti-nuclear protesters, marching beat of drums, took streets of tokyo , other cities mark 6 months since march earthquake , tsunami , vent anger @ government s handling of nuclear crisis set off meltdowns @ fukushima power plant . protesters called complete shutdown of japanese nuclear power plants , demanded shift in government policy toward renewable energy sources. among protestors 4 young men started 10-day hunger strike in effort bring change in japan s nuclear policy.

sixty thousand people marched in central tokyo on 19 september 2011, chanting sayonara nuclear power , waving banners, call on japan s government abandon nuclear power, following fukushima nuclear disaster. author kenzaburō Ōe , musician ryuichi sakamoto among event s supporters. these largest set of demonstrations in japan since us-japan security treaty protests of 1960s , 1970s.

female protest leaders helped maintain momentum of september 19 protest in tokyo. hundreds of women, many of them fukushima, organized sit-in protest @ ministry of economy, trade , industry october 30-november 5. women’s groups have been particularly scathing , effective in condemning government’s casualization of radiation exposure – increase of permissible exposure rate 1 20 msv, inadequate attention hotspots outside of official evacuation areas, calculation of external radiation while ignoring internal radiation, , spotty food supply oversight .

more 1,000 people formed candle-lit human chain around ministry of economy, trade, , industry on evening november 11, 2011, eight-month anniversary of fukushima crisis. on november 18 @ site of nuclear power plant on southern island of kyushu, 15,000 people demonstrated call on government abandon of nation s reactors. people have been protesting in other parts of country.

2012

thousands of demonstrators marched in yokohama on weekend of january 14–15, 2012, show support nuclear power-free world. demonstration showed organized opposition nuclear power has gained momentum in wake of fukushima nuclear disaster. immediate demand protection of basic human rights affected fukushima accident.

on 2012 anniversary of 11 march earthquake , tsunami on japan protesters called abolishing of nuclear power, , scrapping of nuclear reactors.

tokyo: 15,000-strong demonstration held in ginza , kasumigaseki districts of tokyo, marching tepco headquarters , ending human chain around diet building.
koriyama, fukushima: 16,000 people @ meeting, walked through city calling end of nuclear power.
shizuoka prefecture: 1,100 people called scrapping of hamaoka reactors of chubu electric power co..
tsuruga, fukui: 1,200 people marched in streets of city of tsuruga, home of monju fast-breeder reactor prototype , nuclear reactors of kansai electric power co. crowd objected restart of reactors of oi-nuclear power plant. of nisa did approve so-called stress-tests, after reactors taken out of service regular check-up.
saga city, aomori city: likewise protests held in cities of saga , aomori , @ various other places hosting nuclear facilities.
nagasaki , hiroshima: anti-nuclear protesters , atomic-bomb survivors marched , demanded japan should end dependency on nuclear power.

by march 2012, 1 year after fukushima disaster, 2 of japan s nuclear reactors had been shut down; damaged quake , tsunami. authority restart others after scheduled maintenance throughout year given local governments, , in cases local opposition prevented restarting. according japan times, fukushima nuclear disaster changed national debate on energy policy overnight. shattering government s long-pitched safety myth nuclear power, crisis dramatically raised public awareness energy use , sparked strong anti-nuclear sentiment . in june 2012, pew research center poll showed 70% of japanese surveyed wanted nuclear power use reduced or eliminated. found 80% distrustful of government s ability manage safety , environmental issues associated nuclear industry.

meanwhile, protests every friday had begun in front of prime minister s residence in late march 2012; between late june , august, 150,000-200,000 gathered every week. 170,000 gathered in yoyogi park sayonara-genpatsu demonstration in mid-july 2012, while 200,000 marched around government district , surrounded diet on july 29, 2012. organizers , participants said recent demonstrations signal fundamental change in attitudes in nation relatively few have been willing engage in political protests since 1960s. groups , activists websites, such frying dutchman s gathered notable audience. in july 2012, ryuichi sakamoto organized concert entitled no nukes 2012, featuring performances 18 groups including yellow magic orchestra, kraftwerk, asian kung-fu generation, saito kazuyoshi, akihiro namba, , others. concert attracted 17,000 people on 2 days; u-stream simulcast accessed 542,000 times. these protests against nuclear power never large anti-nuclear weapons protests in 1982 in hiroshima (200,000) , tokyo (400,000).

as of september 2012, japanese people supported 0 option on nuclear power, , prime minister yoshihiko , japanese government announced dramatic change of direction in energy policy, promising make country nuclear-free 2030s. there no new construction of nuclear power plants, 40-year lifetime limit on existing nuclear plants, , further nuclear plant restarts need meet tough safety standards of new independent regulatory authority.the new approach meeting energy needs involve investing $500 billion on 20 years commercialize use of renewable energy sources such wind power , solar power.

2013

40,000 protesters marched in tokyo on march 10, 2013 calling on government reject nuclear power.

more 60,000 people marched on june 2 near diet building in tokyo against government s plan restart nuclear power plants. nobel laureate kenzaburō Ōe attended march. marchers had gathered more 8 million signatures in petition against japan s plan restart nuclear power plants after 2011 fukushima nuclear disaster.